Will ya, Horace? …or won’t cha?

By Michael Miller….Is former Mayor Horace Feliu running again? As the political season begins to take shape, lots of folks are wondering who is going to run for office, come February, so let’s see what’s up.

Current Mayor Phillip Stoddard’s present term expires as well as those of Commissioners Brian Beasley and Velma Palmer… so we know, for sure, those three spots are up for grabs. A persistent rumor: Vice Mayor Valerie Newman may run for mayor, even though her term has two more years to go. So, back to the first question: Is former Mayor Feliu going to run?

For starters, I know he’s running even tho’ he won’t tell me because he is frequently seen doing all the things that folks who are running often do: he makes the rounds at all the right places; he’s often invited to speak about the subject he loves so much; he just recently became president of South Miami Rotary (which meets at Carrabbas on SW 73 St.); he’s often seen making the rounds with former and upcoming politicos, and his picture regularly pops up in the South Miami News.

The list goes on and on, pointing to Horace as well-positioned in all the right places to become mayor once again.Upon directly asking Horace if he’ll run, he tells me that he runs at least three times a week for about three or four miles in pretty good times (that is, for a guy his age).

Then with a smile, he reminds me that I told him “Don’t tell me, because if you do, I’ll just tell everyone I know.” So, folks is he or isn’t he ‘running?’

Although he remains pretty secretive about it, my guess is he’ll continue ‘running’ through the neighborhood and just might run for mayor once again. Then again, maybe he won’t!

Had breakfast the other morning at Casa Lario’s and, boy-oh-boy — was that place ever rockin’ and rollin’! Even the back room was full with a group of about 20 guys enjoying themselves (including Tom Byrne and Dale Mosley).

Speaking of enjoying themselves, we recently wrote a story about Commissioner Walter Harris and his position on marijuana and besides publishing the story in the South Miami News, we also ran it on our website at http://www.communitynewspapers.com. The comments received on-line are riproarin’ hilarious so if you have a few moments, Google ‘Commissioner Walter Harris’ or check these excerpts:

Shareandsharealike: South Miami is known as the City of Pleasant Living, and now I know why. Don’t ‘bogart’ that joint, just pass it around because you can get anything you want at Alice’s Restaurant (or, at least, that’s the way the song goes). Makes me wonder about the closed door meetings.

Mellow Out Dude: Now City Commission meetings are beginning to make sense. Let’s legalize pot and mellow the meetings. The meetings will have to end before the last restaurant closes. After all, they will have to satisfy those munchies. Think about zoning meetings. We can calm the angry neighbors down by passing the pipe. Don’t Bogart that, dude!

Nadia: · Ok so “if you can’t beat ‘me, join ‘me” is the solution he’s came to? “Why not legalize heroine to make it easier on the cops so they don’t have to arrest so many heroin addicts.” I \just think their trying to find an easy way out of this then the hard way. Speaks volumes of our country. Pshh.”

Former addict: Where is that antidrug lady? PS. Maybe someone on that commission should go to the Addiction Program at the local hospital.

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My City Hall sources say the cops are again about to strike and pounce down on South Miami drug dealers. Apparently, our undercover cops have done their work, gotten the evidence and will soon execute warrants and arrest the pusherseller types. Good riddance, too, sez oneand- all!

Hurray for SW 62nd Avenue where, after 40 years of being ignored, is finally taking shape. The street itself has been completely redone with wider sidewalks, a median strip and nicely-planted trees. And by the way, couldn’t help but see Mayor Stoddard biking up and down the Avenue, observing the installation of the trees a few weeks back.

Thought of the Day:Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army.
— Edward Everett

Looking back, we thought we had an imperfect political system in South Miami. Now it seems like a era of high statesmanship and dignity compared to the present situation. Feliu, Russell, and Robaina seem like Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln compared to this bunch. When I moved here from Jersey 18 years ago, I thought I had seen enough bad politics to last a lifetime.

Robaina, ScottRussell, and Feliu are like Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln compared to this current bunch. Stoddard is a good man, but he has been dragged down by Valerie "Dick Cheney" Newman. Of course, Bob Welsh is Karl Rove, the evil genius, minus the genius part.